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Paul (book chapter)
"Paul" is the tenth chapter of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Synopsis Paul tries to resist the urge to pull Leslie's pigtails. Plot The chapter introduces Paul, who sits at the back of the room. He is inattentive about Mrs. Jewls's lesson on fractions, but because he sits in the back, he doesn't get caught. However, he is attentive towards Leslie's long pigtails. Paul feels the urge to pull one of Leslie's pigtails. While he also thinks it'd be fun to tie them together or tie them to her chair, Paul just wants to pull one more than anything else. He starts to reach for one, then realizes the consequences. Doing so would make him the center of attention, and everyone would know he's ignoring the teacher. Paul thinks it over and decides not to pull. No one else in class pulls pigtails, so he shouldn't either. Then with no warning, Paul's arm shoots forward and yanks Leslie's right pigtail. Leslie screams, and tells Mrs. Jewls. Paul says he couldn't help it, but Mrs. Jewls tells him he better learn to and writes his name under the DISCIPLINE list. Paul tries to apologize, but Leslie is upset. Paul feels horrible, never wishing to pull a pigtail again, if it wasn't for one problem. Paul only pulled Leslie's right pigtail, leaving the left pigtail untouched. Paul imagines the pigtails talking to him, urging him to pull them. They say Leslie wouldn't mind, but Paul is hesitant. The pigtails claim that Paul just has to tug harder, and eventually convince him to pull. Paul puts his hand on Leslie's left pigtail and pulls as hard as he can, causing Leslie to scream again. Paul tries to defend himself, but still gets a check next to his name on the DISCIPLINE list. Paul notes he'll have to be out of trouble for the rest of the day, until he realizes that twice a day, he can pull Leslie's pigtails without ever being sent home. Right as he suspects Leslie could never find a way out of it, Leslie screams again, and Paul is sent home early on the kindergarten bus. No one would ever know that Paul never pulled Leslie's pigtail that time. Characters *Paul *Mrs. Jewls *Leslie Trivia *Unless Leslie's pigtails are counted, this is the first book chapter not to introduce any new characters. *This is the first time a character other than Todd is sent home on the kindergarten bus. *The plot of this chapter later inspired the cartoon episode "Pull My Pigtail." Gallery Paul 1978.jpg|Dennis Hockerman illustration Paul Chapter Illustration 1985.jpg|Julie Brinckloe illustration Paul Chapter Illustration 2003.jpg|Adam McCauley illustration Foreign editions Paul Chapter Illustration.jpeg|Peter Allen illustration (UK) Paul Leslie.jpg|Peter Allen second illustration (UK) Paul Left Pigtail Pull Me.jpg|Peter Allen third illustration (UK) Paul Left Pigtail Grab Me.jpg|Peter Allen fourth illustration (UK) Paul Left Pigtail Please.jpg|Peter Allen fifth illustration (UK) Paul Left Pigtail I Promise.jpg|Peter Allen sixth illustration (UK) Paul Chapter Kitamura.png|Satoshi Kitamura illustration (Japan) Category:Sideways Stories from Wayside School chapters Category:Book chapters